Harbour chiefs are investigating a silt build-up in Douglas harbour which disrupted Steam Packet sailings this week.

A combination of very low tides and the silt meant that the Ben-my-Chree’s Tuesday morning crossing to Heysham was cancelled at short notice.

It became obvious to the vessel’s crew that it was hard to turn into the harbour, and so they notified the Department of Infrastructure to look into the cause.

It was suggested there has been a large influx of silt from the river with the flap gate under maintenance by the DoI, something that has been delayed by Covid-19.

A department spokesman said: ’The cause of the Ben-my-Chree difficulties on Monday evening is still being looked into.

’The vessel has not had any reported problems during recent arrivals and departures with equivalent or less tide indicated.

’The most recent soundings, water depth readings, of the harbour show nothing more than the usual accumulation of material which is generated by the manoeuvring of the vessel itself.’

The DoI usually removes the silt with its work boat or it is dispersed by the activity of the commercial vessels themselves.

The spokesman said: ’Soundings will be taken to ascertain if there has been an additional factor such as debris which has contributed to the incident.

’In the interim period and due to the extreme spring tides which currently coincide with vessel operations there will need to be adjustments to the scheduled arrival and departure times.’

On Tuesday, the Steam Packet Company spokesman said the build-up of silt and the low tides meant it had to reschedule the Ben.

Harbours in Douglas and Heysham are usually dredged a couple of times a year and the Steam Packet are told in advance of tidal changes, but on this occasion it was only notified on the evening.

Captain Stephen Carter of the Laxey Towing Company has been working in Douglas harbour for many years.

He said it’s unfortunate that the silt build-up has happened while low tide has occurred.

problems

He added: ’There have been occasions where there have been tidal problems, more often in Heysham, but on really big tides, sometimes the sailings of the Ben-my-Chree has had to be delayed a little bit.

’The biggest problem is that they’re massive tides. When there’s a spring tide, which is what we’ve got now, a lot of people think it’s just high water, it’s not - it goes in both directions and the low water gets lower.

’These are very big spring tides at the moment and so the problem that there is less water at dead-low water.

’Occasionally, with silt it causes problems but it’s nothing "new".

’The water in Douglas Harbour has been dredged all my life time.

’Also, the movement of the vessels such as the Ben-my-Chree and Manannan would usually flatten the sea banks, but due to Covid-19 they’re not as operational.’